sicilyan

Woman Says Baby Screamed Four Inches From Her Face on a Qantas Airline Flight
It's every traveler's worst nightmare: a screaming child whose high-pitched squeals won't stop echoing through the airplane cabin. For one Florida woman, the discomfort didn't stop there. A child's shriek was so loud on one Qantas Airlines flight that passenger Jean Barnard, 67, claimed that it left her partially deaf. She later filed a civil complaint against the airline for the physical and emotional damage she sustained from the incident. In her deposition to a Los Angeles district...

... . Parents need to do everyone a favor, including a favor to their children, and not put babies and toddlers on airplanes. It is impossible for a baby to adjust to the cabin pressure and it is extremely unfair for the rest of the passengers to have to "tolerate" a screaming baby. We can't get away from it!!! I've been on several flights with uncomfortable, screaming babies and it is off-the-charts torture for the rest of us having to put up with that kind of noise. It is extremely unfair and all of you parents who have no problem with ignoring your children's noises, please don't expect us to have your same level of tolerance. Parents of young children should simply forego traveling until your kids are 6+ years old.

sicilyan

Add yours comments...Please.....

tenthumbs

It's unrealistic to expect people not to travel with children; however, parents should make every attempt to entertain and control their children. A screaming child IS unpleasant, but I am a lot more understanding when a parent appears to do everything in his or her power to comfort or control the child. Unfortunately, we are all going to be subject to obnoxious children and oblivious parents everywhere~in the grocery store, in restaurants, at the movie theatre......and unfortunately, I don't have a solution.

marcy_

I'm pulling up a chair, got myself some popcorn, and am ready to watch the carnage that will ensue... ;-)

Continental_Drifter

And in other news... taking action can result in some tough punishment.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/bre...-1225821549286

Really, that woman suing an airline for their inability to control a crying infant is clogging up the courts with frivolous lawsuits. A crying child caused her hearing loss? I seriously doubt she has any credible medical support for that claim.

Our children are respectful and have never (and I mean NEVER) misbehaved on a flight. We've flown with them since they were mere months old. Limiting travel to paying customers, whether over or under the age of six, would be ridiculous and bad for the industry. In some families, if the kids can't go, the entire family won't travel. The industry does need families to travel.

Suzanne2

I couldn't really afford to take many long distance trips when my kids were that small. However, if I could have I would have. I don't think banning people with young kids from planes is the answer.

It is true that some people seem to be oblivious to the discomfort endured by their children and those around them. I watched one couple sleep while the child screamed. Must have been the Ambien. Those folks are, in my opinion, child abusers. I've also felt sorry for parents who are doing everything in their power to comfort and quiet crying children on airplanes. I've seen other passenger come to the aide of those parents. And then I've seen kids behaving wonderfully on planes.

Traveling with young children can be a challenge or a joy. sometimes it is simply a matter of luck.

danon

" Parents of young children should simply forego traveling until your kids are 6+ years old."

You'll be hearing from some deeply offended parents any minute now.

I was once seated next to a baby who cried for 4 hours .
No way out.

PatrickLondon

Did no-one suggest a drop of gin? And a large one for this lady?

Suzanne2

Gin? LOL. I thought Benedril was a good idea.

hetismij

What about people adopting children? Are they to wait until the child is six years old before they can take it home?
Or those emigrating? Or posted abroad for the work? or flying across country to see grandparents?

Whilst I am not sure what very young children, or their parents get out of a long haul vacation abroad, it is ridiculous and impossible to ban them.

I have been on a lot of flights with babies and toddlers on board and have never had any problem with them screaming or being a nuisance in any way. Indeed my husband possibly owes his life to the parents of a baby on a flight to La Palma.

This is a frivolous lawsuit.

And why is this thread in the Europe forum and tagged France?

Continental_Drifter

"And why is this thread in the Europe forum and tagged France?"

Because the OP is too scared to post it in the Lounge.....

Fashionista

I cannot agree with the statement that very young children should not travel.

My baby niece lives abroad and my Dad cannot travel - it seems a little harsh to keep him from seeing his grand daughter until she is 6 years old.

However, I do get very cross when parents let their children run riot.

To be completely contrary, parents trying to keep their children amused can be more irritating than the children!!

CaliNurse

bring a good set of ear plugs.

scatcat

On my flight to Frankfurt in June, there was a screaming kid across from me. He did not stop the entire flight. The parents were so upset. You could see they lost their patience by the way they were tossing him to each other. Looks like his vocal cords would have given out. I have never been happier to get off a plane. I don't know what they could have done different. Nothing worked with that kid. It was a total nightmare. Is it possible for a doctor to give them a sedative like they do pets? I know...I'm being mean.

tenthumbs

an iPod with good earphones blocks out the sounds of screaming children AND adults who carry on ridiculously loud conversations. Now if I could only come up with a solution for the child who will inevitably sit behind me and mistake the tray table for a drum set........

Continental_Drifter

Scatcat - You are not being mean. A visit to a pediatrician would have told those unprepared parents to bring along several things to placate their child when in great distress.

Although we never had to use it, our pediatrician told us outright before our trip to Spain that some of my daughter's Benadryl that we used for her allergies would settle her down and help her relax - or for her brothers, if needed.

Children are not accustomed to the pressure changes nor the constant din of noise on an airplane. There are options to help them cope with this and all should be employed.

If children misbehave in public, it's usually because the parents are unprepared and have not set the stage properly.

danon

" Now if I could only come up with a solution for the child who will inevitably sit behind me and mistake the tray table for a drum set........ "

or kick the back of my seat at will.

LSky

This would be a good time to offer to buy a round for the parent and me, as long as the child gets a good share of it.

And suggest that next time they buy some baby earplanes for take offs and landings.

Continental_Drifter

tenthumbs -- If you come up with the solution for the person who is coughing, sniffling and sneezing behind me on EVERY flight I take, let me know. I swear he's on every plane I'm on.

scatcat

mom...we must be on the same flights! It never fails that someone starts sneezing right behind me. And I have a phobia of sneezes. My sister has gotten a lot of laughs about that. But it wasn't funny to me.